And More: How To 'Browse' Steam Screenshot Folders with PaintShop Pro [Fix / Tutorial with Steps]

After playing around with both Steam and PaintShop Pro recently, I have found a 'Fix' for an issue where PaintShop Pro was not able to see any Screenshots in the Steam-created Screenshot Folders, when trying to "Browse" within PaintShop Pro... Here is what it looks like in PaintShop Pro when trying to "Browse" to a Steam Screenshot Folder within the graphic editing application itself:

As seen above, the Browsing utility in PaintShop Pro says "No Files Found" [circled in Red] - but obviously there are files/images in the folder, as opening the same folder with Windows Explorer just below it (Windows 10) shows there are tons [I take way too many Screenshots, heh]. 

I examined the Properties of the Screenshots generated by Steam, but they are nothing out-of-the-ordinary, they are typical .JPG (JPEG format) image files. 

PaintShop Pro is able to "Browse" other folders I have with Screenshots, so perhaps it had something to do with Permissions [was my thinking]...

I ran PaintShop Pro as Administrator, but it seemed to make no difference. 

I then examined the Preferences of PaintShop Pro. I have been in there before, to change some of the behaviour of the editing program, namely Caching and Colour Correction/Import and Precise Cursors [I really prefer the Precise Cursors, I Recommend using them!]

In PaintShop Pro's Preferences, I found there are some Exclusions that were already in the program [built-in, on install] that, while helpful, interfered with where Steam keeps game Screenshots by Default.

These Exclusions, in PaintShop Pro, are located in:

File > Preferences > General Program Preferences 

In the Manage category, Excluded Items section, there is a button for Uncataloged Folders.

[These folders are not utilized by PaintShop Pro, and while I'm not sure why, I assume it is because they are large System Folders and may result in duplicates or 'garbage' images being read, which would take up time and excessive space for Thumbnails]

In these "Uncataloged Folders", I found a listing of
C:\Program Files
and Steam itself is installed (by Default, in Windows) to
C:\Program Files (x86)

It appears that PaintShop Pro thinks that "Program Files (x86)" is part of, or is, "Program Files" [due to the space in the former] - so it excludes that folder from use; thus, it is not possible to Browse those folders with PaintShop Pro [was my thinking].

Removing the "C:\Program Files" from the Uncataloged Folders, I tried to open a game's Screenshots Folder (unchanged, where Steam normally keeps them by Default) with BROWSE in Paintshop Pro...

It worked! 😁

That was it then - it appears removing that Folder (C:\Program Files) from the Uncataloged Folders category, is all that needs to be done and Paintshop Pro can then Browse and Catalogue [create Thumbnails for] those Folders.

In the image I created just below, there is an open Steam Screenshots Folder in the background, showing that Steam's Screenshot Folders indeed now work with PaintShop Pro.

Here is a large collage/screenshot showing what I found and how to change it [It looks a little busy/crazy - so I will explain it just underneath, heh]:

In the 'Tutorial' image above, I have indicated the following areas below on how to 'fix' this issue with PaintShop Pro:

» The Large 'Green Arrow' shows that I have a Steam Screenshot Folder open in the Browse/Manage are of PaintShop Pro [It now works! There are Screenshots seen in the background middle workspace] 

» The Smaller 'Yellow Arrows' are indicating the 'trouble folders' of "Program Files" and "Program Files (x86)" that PaintShop Pro seems to have issue with [These folders, generated automatically by Windows, hold most Programs and installed Applications. The 'x86' Folder is generally used for backwards-compatibility with older (32-bit) Programs] 

» The Red 'Roman Numerals' (I., II., etc.) indicate the Steps To Take to navigate to the "C:\Program Files" listing in the "Uncategorized Folders" section of the Excluded Items in PaintShop Pro 

» The Red 'Information Icon' is simply the Panel that must be opened, using these Steps, to see/edit the Folders to be discluded from the "Browse" capability of PaintShop Pro

Here are the Tutorial Steps, in order, to remove this Exclusion and allow PaintShop Pro to Browse/Manage Steam Screenshot Folders and Images:

1. Click on "File"
2. Select "Preferences"
3. Go into "General Program Preferences "
4. Click on the "Manage" section on the left of the Preferences panel that comes up
5. In the "Excluded Items" section on the right, click on the button for "Uncataloged Folders"
6. In the "Uncataloged Folders" panel, select the "C:\Program Files" listing and click on the Delete button
7. Click Ok, above the Cancel button
8. Click Ok, to close the Preferences Panel
9. You are now back at the main PaintShop Pro interface

That's it!

Hopefully this finding can help others that want to use Paintshop Pro with Steam Screenshots, now easily Browsing them all (with Thumbnails being Cached for faster access/listing) with PaintShop Pro.


Hope That Helps!

~ Troy from The Game Tips And More Blog



[Note: I am not affiliated with Corel or Steam/Valve, and have not, and will not, receive any compensation in any form, for mentioning them here. I am merely an enthusiastic gamer who utilizes their products, and likes to share helpful information for others when I can]

Fallout 4: High Resolution Texture Pack (Free DLC) Is Now Available [Notification]

For those that haven't heard yet, as mentioned last week at their site here, Bethesda has released a High Resolution Texture Pack, that is now available for free, downloadable via Steam.

The graphic 'upgrade' includes 'native 1440p' textures [which means the textures themselves are 2560x1440 pixels in size - but remember, textures usually aren't displayed at Full Size, they are squished into say, the sides of a gun, or a sign or other things in the world - even if they cover a large wall in the game, they will usually not display 'at full native size' - and even if they do, they can be repeated ("tiled") to fill in the space of objects needed, in the game world - basically, 1440p textures should make the game look great]. It also includes Enhanced Draw Distancing and God-Ray tweaks [those glow-y, streaks of light, showing up especially when a source of light is behind something, such as the sun behind trees or buildings].

Now, up until this release, I personally was playing with SweetFX a lot in FO4, having fun increasing Sharpness and Shading, dealing with the Aliasing, taking Screenshots and 'Realistic Photos' and 'Close-Ups' (with Depth-Of-Field, etc) of some of the Characters in the game. These can be found here, at a slowly-growing Flickr page I started for The Blog. A couple examples of these, taken with 'SweetFX in ReShade' are just below - I look forward to what the entire game could possibly look like with the new High Resolution textures!

Fallout 4 - Mrs. Nordhagen, Settler I - SweetFX in ReShade
(GTAMblog7Photo SweetFX Preset, made available Soon™)
Click to see Full Size

Fallout 4 - Mrs. Nordhagen, Settler I - SweetFX in ReShade
(GTAMblog7Photo SweetFX Preset, made available Soon™)
Click to see Full Size

ReShade by Crosire (reshade.me)
SweetFX by CeeJay.dk (ceejay.dk)
Game Material by Bethesda Game Studios (bgs.bethsoft.com)
Captured by Troy from The Game Tips And More Blog

Since I don't actually have room for it on any of the drives I have Games on at the moment [which seems to always happen when something cool comes out, of course], I will be moving some things around and uninstalling other games I am not playing at the moment, to make room for this big fella...

It is an optional/separate "DLC" download, weighing in at a hefty 58GB installation through Steam. Once I get it going, I will be working on a QualityTest for it, comparing the graphic look between the two versions and what they really look like in-game - as well as the Performance Hit the Texture Pack creates - look for that coming post Soon™ if you are waiting to see what they look like or if it is 'worth the download'; but if you can't wait and want to get started seeing it yourself, go get it via Steam for free now, here.

This free download, by the way, is - in Bethesda's own words, "...a love letter to our amazing PC fans that have supported us – not just with Fallout 4, but across multiple decades and games...". 

Right back at ya', Beth! 

"Thank You" ~ Sincerely, The Game Tips And More Blog

Header and Footer Images captured by Bethesda, from their example screenshots of the High Resolution Texture Pack

Clicker Heroes - Possibly the Last Game You Will Ever Play, Literally [First Impressions, Tips, and some Screenshots]

"Cunningly Addictive" ~ The Game Tips And More Blog

Recipe For "Egg Stream Lee", A Very Addictive Game (Clicking Spices version): 

2 parts random-loot-and-gold-collection feeling of Diablo2
3 parts colorfulness of a Japanese Animation
1 part the simplicity of a Browser-based game
Generous sprinkles of Humour
Pour mixture into a shell of Mathematics, Statistics and Programming
Let Steam, Downloading for 1-2 Minutes, until thoroughly Installed
Pour Clicking Spices all over top and sides
Prepare desk for eating and have enough supplies for never getting up again

Spend the rest of your life Clicking at the main website, or through Steam
(Graphic from the Clicker Heroes Website)

I haven't played this game for very long (I expect to do so, over time); but I already feel like I am a rat in an experiment. That, or the creator of the game is a Psychology Major, as the entire thing feels like a series of Human Cheese Traps, spaced out skillfully apart - each one just far enough away so that it doesn't seem like you have limitless amounts of cheese, but also close enough together, so that once you are finished with your present goal/cheese, looking up, there is another piece not far away - and you want that one now, too.

One of the first things to learn, for your own safety, is how to Exit the game. To do this, click on the 'x' in the corner of the Window. If in FullScreen mode, hit ESC to go into Windowed Mode, then click on the 'x' to do a typical Exit [Suggestion To Devs: an Exit within the Main screen area would be great]

"An Interactive Study Into Human Tendencies", should be an alternate name for this game. The Recipe I made above says it all: there is a nice sense of progression in the game, just enough to keep you interested as, everytime I 'got bored', something else 'unlocked' and I wanted to play further. There is even a sense of 'Inclusion' - the concept that your performing some action (you, as the player) makes a difference in the game. While overall, it does not [I mean that literally in the game and metaphorically as this is a game], it does still add to the sense of Inclusion, as you are helping your Heroes kill even faster, gaining gold even faster, which allows Upgrades even faster, which then allows killing even faster! And thus is the Circle Of Life. That is, your life, which could possibly become nothing but this game (esp. if you have compulsive tendencies). Serious for one moment: be careful to balance this game and the human tendencies it illicits, with discipline, restraint and breaks with 'real life' (if you can)...

"Need to do the laundry? Give the puppy a shower? No worries! Your heroes will farm monsters and automatically collect the gold while you're gone, even when the game is closed. But don't forget to come back and spend all that sweet gold on new heroes and upgrades!" ~ from Clicker Heroes Steam Store Page (Above Graphic from Clicker Heroes Steam Store Page)

That's right, after closing the game (if you do happen to pull yourself away from it, into Real Life), all the Heroes you hired in the game will continue to fight for you, killing monsters and collecting teh goldz, non-stop. While not a new concept in games ('working for you while you are gone'), it adds to the sense of progression, as you return to huge masses of gold, ready to spend on Upgrades and New Heroes that have come to help you amass even more gold...

While you weren't playing, you earned 567 Trillion Goldz. Trillion.

The background music that plays (but can be turned off, which is important to many), is a pirate/adventure-style beat, from what sounds like Midi-powered Orchestral sources. It is catchy, even though it merely repeats over and over. [It would be nice to see a 'Battle Music' concept here, where the music changes if you actively participate (with immense clicking), changing back to the 'standard music' when you stop helping out your heroes]

When you hire the Hero named "Betty Clicker", Unlock her Upgrades as fast as possible, as her Upgrades help all your other Heroes out! As well, when you are able to hire the Hero named "King Midas", Unlock his Upgrades as soon as possible too, as his Upgrades increase all gold amounts found, from then on!





The overall strategy in the game is simple: You click/hit Monsters that automatically appear, which eventually die, and drop Gold. This money can then be used to hire Heroes, which approach you automatically and can fight for you, adding to your Damage. These same Heroes fight for you constantly, even if you aren't playing the game. After each batch of Monsters are killed, it makes opens the way for you to enter a new Area (Level). Each consecutive Area/Level has another batch of Monsters - but higher Level/Area Monsters drop more Gold. However, the higher you go in Levels, the more Damage you need to do, as the Monsters have higher and higher Hit Points [amount of Life] to hack through, in order to kill them... It quickly becomes a delicate balance of what level you could play at, versus how fast you can kill - which means how much gold you can acquire for Upgrading your Heroes (which allows them to do more Damage for you) ...to kill faster, to play higher levels, to get more goldz... and on and on it goes. So then, 'what do??'

Do you stay on the same level longer, to get easy (but less) gold?
Do you try to move on, killing slower (but the monsters you kill drop higher amounts of gold)?
Do you hire a new Hero to help your DPS (Damage Per Second) or Upgrade your current Hero to do more damage instead?
Do you hoard your gold and spend it in large purchases, or do you spend it as fast as it is coming in?
These are Life Lessons, people.

Maybe that's what this game is, a Training Course for Real Life... It is showing you that the sense of progression in Life is merely nothing but one piece of cheese after another. Feed that hunger, earn that money, buy that thing, play that game, poop that poop. Sleep. If you wake up, Repeat: Feed that hunger, earn that money, buy that thing, play that game, poop that poop. Sleep. If you wake up, Repeat. Do you see? This game is an allegory for the human experience! It is showing you the folly of life! Life is nothing but a treadmill of "upgrades" and "quests" and "other people that come along" and all your life can be simplified down to what... CLICKS! The clicks are your footsteps in life! The clicks are your thoughts as you walk around, the thoughts of the people "the heroes" in your life, the clicks are your actions, your doing homework, your paying the bills, your food going in your mouth! The clicks are your breaths! The clicks are your heartbeats! IT IS ALL JUST CLICKS AHAHAH...

...I got up off the floor after laying there a while... I'm ok now.

See this little orange guy to the right? Hit these! They have a chance of dropping Rubies, which can be used to purchase items from the Shop (giving you 'buffs' such as Gold, Faster Cooldowns, and Higher DPS).

These 14 Rubies I have, were found (not bought) by killing the li'l orange Monsters shown in the GIF above. They appear randomly and have a random chance at dropping a Ruby. Of course, the Developers of the game can always be Supported by purchasing some!
(Screenshot of Cash Shop, Click to see Full Size)

Wondering what the Letters and Symbols mean? Here is the Key to them:

• 1K = 1,000 = One Thousand

• 1M = 1,000K = One Million

• 1B = 1,000M = One Billion

• 1T = 1,000B = One Trillion

• 1q = 1,000T = One Quadrillion

• 1Q = 1,000q = One Quintillion

• 1s = 1,000Q = One Sextillion

• 1S = 1,000s = One Septillion

• 1O = 1,000S = One Octillion

• 1N = 1,000O = One Nonillion

• 1d = 1,000N = One Decillion

• 1U = 1,000d = One Undecillion

• 1D = 1,000U = One Duodecillion

• 1! = 1,000D = One Tredecillion

• 1@ = 1,000! = One Quattuordecillion

• 1# = 1,000@ = One Quindecillion

• 1$ = 1,000# = One Sexdecillion

• 1% = 1,000$ = One Septendecillion

• 1^ = 1,000% = One Octodecillion

• 1& = 1,000^ = One Novemdecillion

• 1* = 1,000& = One Vigintillion

This game deals with extremely high damage, gold and numbers in general - use the above Key to decipher what stage/amounts you are dealing with!

There's not much else to say about this deceptively addictive game (other than you can play it at the Main Website or Install it via Steam). You will either hate it, saying it is too stupid, too simple, too repetitive - or you will love this game and you will find it fun and addictive, and you will play it a lot - you will play it forever. Just don't hold your breath when you are trying to click as fast as you can...

Don't hold your breath when you are trying to click as fast as you can. You may die.
Actually, you will just pass out, and then you will resume breathing normally and wake up. Unless you hit your head on something when you pass out, or fall on something that crushes your windpipe. Then you will die. Basically, don't hold your breath while clicking, ok?



I haven't been playing very long [Level 85 woo!] and already I can see this game may ruin my life. This game has already ruined many lives. Maybe you shouldn't play this game after all. Maybe everyone should.

See You In The Game... or at least, Playing It.

[Personal Logarithm: I have a 'tip' for clicking speed, something I call "The Quiver"... It's something I figured out in the days of Famicom/Nintendo, where I could 'stiffen' my hand (holding out my index finger) and tighten my arm (bicep and tricep at the same time, almost as though 'flexing' for your 'special someone') - and then just let it 'quiver'... If done right, your finger (held stiff on your tightened hand and arm) will be bouncing up and down, very fast, on the desired button (in those days a Nintendo Controller..today a mouse). It may take practice, but once mastered, it will increase your speed not only on mouse-driven games, but also in all other games that require repeated button pressing (tested since the old cabinet stand-up arcade games..). I pass this torch of button-mashing technique, from "Old Skool" gaming days onto a new generation, you. Hopefully my unmet gamer friend, you can master this 'quivering' technique, one that will assist in mounting massive attacks in fighting games and all manner of button-mashing machines - and in Clicker Heroes, may it help you amass large amounts of goldz for your deepz... Enjoy]

The Battlefield: Hardline Open Beta - First Impressions and Screenshots

[Editor's Note: Work on this article began just after the Battlefield: Hardline Open Beta]

Whew - time to take a breather, wipe the sweat from my brow and crack my knuckles a bit, after some hard gaming with Battlefield: Hardline's Open Beta for the past few days - great stuff! I didn't get into the Closed Beta for this one and didn't hear about the Open Beta until just a little while ago; but I purposely didn't read any press about this game beforehand [to avoid 'spoiling any surprises', or getting my perception of it influenced too much] and I was still able to jump in and have some great fun with this latest installment in EA/Dice's Battlefield series, thanks to the Open Beta from EA. Here then, is my First Impressions of The Battlefield: Hardline Beta - with screenshots!

At first, I didn't really know what to expect - and because I didn't read much about it, I didn't really know what to do at first. But I knew it was a 'Battlefield Game' at least, so as I always try to do in games [and suggest to others new to any game], I followed other players around for a while to start, until I could get my bearings. Battlefield: Hardline does a good job of being helpful to new players though, by letting you know the two teams and what they represent (their emblems and names pop up right away on the screen when you start or enter a match, reminding you what team you are on) and the game does a good job of constantly leading you towards what you are supposed to do (your Objectives of the map/gamemode currently being played).

The Heistening

For example, in the "Heist" level/map type, if you have been put on the Criminals side, it says right at the top "Criminals, Heist" and you are told to "Crack The Vault" as your first step. Floating HUD indicators constantly show you what and where your Objectives are, which in this game type (Heist) are two Packages for your band of rogues to acquire, which is this case are two large duffel bags of money from said vault. Once you "Steal The Package", you are told to take it to an "Escape" Point, where a comrade-in-arms will then fly in with a heli and let down a hook to attach the money bag to ...Sounds like an action-packed scene in a movie, doesn't it -  well, it plays that way too!

If you were put on the Cops team, it would show that right at the beginning ("Cops, Heist" displaying a golden shield/badge), then you are told to "Defend The Vault" and then "Stop The Carrier" (if the Criminals get in and grab the money) and then "Recover The Bag", which in the case of the Coppers, means standing near it long enough ['gathering it up' heh] until a "Loot Returned" comes up on the screen. This 'Loot Returned' message means they are returning it to the bank - right away - which gives the Crooks another chance (as long as there is some of the Time Limit remaining). All of this [for the Cops, in this example] is accented wonderfully, by the realistic-sounding 'narration' of a Police Dispatcher (the Criminals also have the same, in the form of handheld transceiver chatter/updates).

If you've played the Payday game series, you've played this level - but I'm not saying that as a bad thing here. This map has all the hallmarks of a good movie: The Bank, The Vault, The Cops, The Robbers, The Cameras, The Dynamite, The Bag of Money and The Drop Off. Getting to the vault is easy, cracking it is automatic (a drill or breaching charge merely needs to be set); but where Payday spends a lot of time on getting into the vault ("the drill is jammed again"), Battlefield: Hardline rushes past that element [but it's there - and the Cops can dismantle it!] and gets the crooks more quickly to the cash, where the majority of the level is then played with you pitted against the other team, with the Crims trying to get the bags of money to drop off points - or in this case 'pull-up' points, as you are attaching them to helicopter ropes for your comrades to whisk them away - and the Cops are constantly trying to stop them, retrieving the bags to be 'returned'.

Criminal with the bag of money ("the package") in the Bank Vault, with one escape route (through the wall on the right) showing. [Tip: another escape route is created in the ceiling, and a third is simply through the vault front door itself]. Ultra graphic settings! Click to see Full Size

Glancing at the MiniMap once in a while will help you locate The Package (the bag of money, the objective of the Heist game mode); however, if you can't spare the time because you are in a tough firefight (but are close to the location of The Package carrier) look for the 'trail of money' it leaves behind (bills flying slowly out of it into the air - just like Team Fortress 2 and the Intelligence Briefcase in TF2's Capture The Flag mode)

The rest of the level/map continues in this way (with the bags being returned over and over and the criminals attempting to steal them away) until either the Time Runs Out, or the Tickets for the Criminals fully deplete (the Cops get Unlimited Tickets). This game mode then, seems to resemble a 'Rush' mode map - but one where the capture points are no longer MCOMs from earlier Battlefield games, they are the bags of money that the Crims must obtain and relocate. A nice 'cops and robbers' take on the standard Rush formula, it feels fresh; and with the tight [read: small] map size, similar to a Call Of Duty and Counter Strike style level, the action is fast, and furious.

Hotwiring

Did I say 'fast and furious'? Did you like those movies? Do you like fast cars? Do you like hanging out a car window and shooting at the enemy chasing you at high speeds? Do you like explosions? Do you like nachos? Well, you'll find eighty-three-point-three-percent-repeating of all of those things in Battlefield: Hardline's "Hotwire" game mode!

"Ridin' around, listenin' ta' sum tunes", in a Criminal Van (interior view) during Hotwire game mode in the Dust Bowl map.
Click to see Full Size

In the Hotwire game mode, the map was larger than it was in the Heist game mode - it felt more like the 'good ol' Battlefield' maps - it was somewhat larger and with more room to run and places to hide (there was an old Diner and Motel and there are houses literally everywhere, as this map is set in a small, isolated town). There is also plenty of room to fly overhead in helicopters, spotting the enemy and mowing them down with the mounted guns on the sides, or driving around in your muscle cars and dirt bikes, acting as a moving spawn point for your team.

Capturing and then Defending some of the moving control points in the Hotwire game mode (Dust Bowl map).
Click to see Full Size

Speaking of moving spawn points, that's what this game mode is all about... If I wanted to try explain the Hotwire game mode, I would start by saying; think of a typical Battlefield 'Conquest' mode, with flags. Now, picture those flags mounted on the tops of moving vehicles... Since this is a Conquest map/mode, when your allies have captured a flag, your team can spawn from it - and while you have ownership of the Control Point and have more in total than your enemy - your team is slowly depleting the other team's tickets, right? Well now, take away the flags and leave the idea that the cars themselves are the ControlPoints/SpawnPoints - and now you have the Hotwire game mode in Battlefield: Hardline.

Differing from the traditional Conquest game mode type (shown above), the Hotwire game mode in Battlefield: Hardline can be envisioned by imagining the flags to be captured being attached to the tops of cars, which you must 'Hotwire' and then speed around the map in, keeping them away from your enemies and slowly depleting their Tickets.
Click to see Full Size

A chance to use the words 'fresh' and 'approach' to the standard Conquest game type, the Hotwire mode isn't just driving around fast (although it may seem like that at times). The cars speeding around the level are only the Spawn Points (the Capture Points) - "only" in the sense that, if you aren't directly driving or riding in and defending a captured point, gaining score [points] that way, you are free to roam the rest of the map and find and take out the enemy in any way you can - just like in any of Battlefield's Conquest maps.

View from a Water Tower, playing the Professional class (the "Sniper/Recon" class) on the Criminal team, in the Dust Bowl map.
Click to see Full Size

For example, while some of your teammates speed around, avoiding explosions and gadget traps from within vehicles - on foot, the Enforcer classes can roam the area with their powerful shotguns, mowing down the enemy and locating the powerful 'hidden' items like the RPGs and M60s scattered throughout the map. Professional classes can hide in the multitude of houses and spot and snipe out of the many windows, killing from the shadows. Mechanics are a good ride-along partner, defending the roving Spawn Points from within, "foomp-ing" their grenade launchers at enemy-captured Points/vehicles speeding by (and also at other enemies on foot), pulling out their blow torch to Repair after taking some damage, all while hanging out the window of the moving vehicle. All of these things and more, are happening all at once in the tighter-than-previous-Battlefield-games-but-still-mostly-large-enough maps in the Hotwire game modes I have seen so far.

View from above the town of Joad (used for the Dust Bowl map). Click to see Full Size

Points or Experience, by the way, are collected in the form of Cash (money), as you are rewarded for the actions you take, both offensive (capturing points and killing the enemy, etc) and supportive (healing, reviving, repairing, etc) and it not only contributes to Class progression, Cash is the main method of 'unlocking' the gear, gadgets and weapons in the game, as you purchase them over time.

Deployment Screen, showing the Loadouts for the selected Class (in this case, the Operator class [the 'Medic' from earlier Battlefield games]). Cash is earned as the "experience points" used to unlock chosen weapons and upgrades over time (the Loadout above is showing the Criminal "Adrenaline Shot" [the 'Defibrillator' from earlier BF games]). Click to see Full Size

I personally enjoyed playing as the Enforcer class, laying down Breacher Charges (the 'C4' from previous Battlefield games, shown here) on the ground, then hiding in nearby bushes, waiting for the enemy to drive by... then: BOOM! Fiery explosions, sound, smoke and sparks, with the empty body of a charred car flying through the air or even over your head... it was a glorious sight to behold up close - look for a Breacher Charge Explosion Montage here in the future!

The Anticipation

Although it was only a teaspoon-taste of the variety of new game modes, maps, gear and gadgets coming out in the new Battlefield 'side-step' (it's not meant to be Battlefield 5) - the Beta served it's purpose: to get me enticed and excited for the release of Battlefield: Hardline. Sure, some of the old Battlefield problems are there ('rubber-banding' and/or getting killed after going around a corner sometimes, textures not loading properly (or loading blurry) once in a while, etc); but many of these types of problems can still be fixed by release - and if you don't mind looking past those little issues, there is a fantastic game to be had here and movie-like memories to be made...

I already saw in chat many times people excitedly describing something that happened to them: being chased through house after house by a cop and eventually 'losing him' in a tense runaway, a huge explosion as two cars collided (killing everyone within the area), sniping people off of a Zipline as they tried to escape and watching them bounce off the building and vehicles below as they fell... yes, all of these little moments and more experiences await, in the refreshing cops-and-robbers take on 'The Battlefield Formula', in Battlefield: Hardline.


Whether you have already Pre-Ordered, are picking it up on Day One, or are waiting to get it in the future on Sale - I'll definitely See You In The Game!

This GIF is presented in 'slomo'... (50% speed). Make your own Drum and Bass action movie soundtrack backing-track-style noises to it with your mouth, like I do, if you want.

Personal Short Version/Opinion:  

I want to make sure to express two things in this Personal Opinion section - one, the game still has some technical problems. I mention them a bit in the main article, but these are only the little issues I personally encountered (some rubber-banding, getting killed after going around a corner, and some textures not loading properly at times); there seems to be a large number of people who couldn't even get the game to run. From the Battlelog not working right, to the game itself not running properly (choppy, etc), there seems to be big issues with this game for many people. 

While this does not completely cancel out the greatness that is in this game for me, it does for many, and so I want to mention it here. A lot of people are disappointed and upset with EA/DICE and Visceral. To speak on their behalf [the developers] however, I understand the technical hurdles that must be overcome, to make a game/program run properly on thousands, even millions of systems.  

Also, many people have stated how they feel this game is less of a "Battlefield game" than it is a "Call of Duty" or "Counter Strike" game. I do agree that there is a feeling of trying to cater to and attract the COD and CS market, and I can see how the maps have been made somewhat smaller and there has been an attempt to emulate much of the COD/CS tempo of gameplay - but I understand why: they are just trying to make some money. As a business, I can't blame them. As developers (Visceral and EA/DICE), I understand many things are going to be 'simplified' and 'streamlined' for compatibility with Consoles and again; gameplay changes to attract the COD and CS crowd. I get that.  

It is just unfortunate that, for one thing, there seems to be no 'enhancements' for the PC crowd [thus far]. Rockstar attempts this, they try to 'tweak' a game and improve the code and features, to take advantage of the extra power and capabilities that the PC can perform, before releasing to PC owners. That would have been nice here, EA/DICE/Viscreral. But I understand, you have to code for the Lowest Common Denominator [no insult to consoles intended] as you try to make everything compatible on ...everything.  

It's difficult, trying to find a common ground of graphic level, map complexity, and so many other aspects, with so many manufacturers and hardware and architectures and Drivers, etc. it's a very hard job. I am just saddened by the amount of people having trouble with this game, is all. Even people that don't have 'old' systems can't run the game. Battlelog problems block many from experiencing the game from the start. People are crashing left and right.. I want to help so much, I will 'officially' state here, that if there is anyone out there that is having problems after the game is released next month (March 17th, 2015 is the Scheduled Release Date so far), feel free to return here and ask for advice/TechnicalSupport below. I would be happy to try help out (: 

The second thing I wanted to make sure and express in this Personal Opinion section was the sheer delight in many aspects of this game. Yes, it plays more like Call Of Duty and Counter Strike (as mentioned above), but if you played those games - and especially if you were such a fan of those games that you previously stayed away from what you thought were "the slower Battlefield games" of the past - then you might want to try Hardline.. If you liked All Points Bulletin and its 'reboot' as APB Reloaded (with their 'cops-and-robbers' themes), then you will also want to try Hardline.

While teams are usually played against each other as Countries [in previous Battlefield games], it was a nice change to take on the roles of smaller-in-scope-but-easier-to-identify-with "cops" or "robbers" and be pitted against not only the enemy, but also the [heightened importance of] specific objectives (as in the Heist game mode). While I am still looking forward to a less "arcade-y" style, larger maps and 'slower' [more realistic?] pace of a future BF5, I have to say I enjoyed the slightly more hectic gameplay - and Hardline definitely added something to the 'typical Battlefield game' here, with the overall choice to become either the "straight-laced cop, cleansing the city of thieving scum" or "the cop-killing anarchist, freeing the town from the oppressors", as it were. 

Whether you like the faster pace of Call Of Duty and Counter Strike, or you like APB Reloaded - and even if you are just a tried and true fan of the Battlefield series of games; I think you'll find something you'll like in Battlefield: Hardline - I hope they are allowing a Time Demo in the future for it, so that everyone can have a taste of this Battlefield dish. I'm actually excited about the release of this game now, and I hope it turns out to be a source of great moments in gaming for all of you. I also hope that none of you have technical problems with the game at all, so that you can enjoy it in full.  

The Screenshots

And Now - and somewhat as a reward for wading through a slightly lengthy Personal Version/Opinion Section - More Screenshots!

 

See You In The Game!